Saskatchewan Health

About: Saskatchewan Health is a government organization based out in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 442 authors who have published 489 publications receiving 7728 citations.

Trends in chronic disease incidence rates from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION The Public Health Agency of Canada's Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) produces population-based estimates of chronic disease prevalence and incidence using administrative health data. Our aim was to assess trends in incidence rates over time, trends are essential to understand changes in population risk and to inform policy development. METHODS Incident cases of diagnosed asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and stroke were obtained from the CCDSS online infobase for 1999 to 2012. Trends in national and regional incidence estimates were tested using a negative binomial regression model with year as a linear predictor. Subsequently, models with year as a restricted cubic spline were used to test for departures from linearity using the likelihood ratio test. Age and sex were covariates in all models. RESULTS Based on the models with year as a linear predictor, national incidence rates were estimated to have decreased over time for all diseases, except diabetes; regional incidence rates for most diseases and regions were also estimated to have decreased. However, likelihood ratio tests revealed statistically significant departures from a linear year effect for many diseases and regions, particularly for hypertension. CONCLUSION Chronic disease incidence estimates based on CCDSS data are decreasing over time, but not at a constant rate. Further investigations are needed to assess if this decrease is associated with changes in health status, data quality, or physician practices. As well, population characteristics that may influence changing incidence trends also require exploration.

Sulfate Conjugation of Monoamines in Human Brain: Purification and Some Properties of an Arylamine Sulfotransferase from Cerebral Cortex

Abstract: An arylamine sulfotransferase (PST-M) from human brain cortex that is involved in the formation of O-sulfate esters of monoamines has been purified 272-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration, DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography, chromatofocussing, and hydroxyapatite chromatography A molecular weight of 62,000, pK of pH 58, and an optimum pH for the reaction at 78-80 with respect to tyramines have been determined This enzyme possesses an extremely high affinity for dopamine and m-tyramine based on the low Km values and is moderately active toward noradrenaline and p-tyramine Serotonin is a poor substrate In contrast, another sulfotransferase, PST-P, which has been separated from PST-M and partially purified, exhibited a very high affinity for phenol and nitrophenols but was inactive toward the amine sulfate acceptors In the human brain the specific activity toward dopamine as well as the ratio of activity toward dopamine/phenol was considerably higher than those for rat, hog, and bovine brains

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Mental Health and Substance Use Outcomes for Individuals with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract: Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) experience remarkably high rates of mental health and substance use challenges, beginning early in life and extending throughout adulthood. Proactive intervention can help to mitigate some of these negative experiences. Although the literature on FASD intervention is growing, there is currently a lack of consolidated evidence on interventions that may improve mental health and substance use outcomes in this population. Informed by a life course perspective, we undertook a systematic review of the literature to identify interventions that improve mental wellness through all developmental stages for people with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and FASD. A total of 33 articles were identified, most of which were focused on building skills or strategies that underlie the well-being of children with PAE and FASD and their families. Other interventions were geared toward supporting child and family wellness and responding to risk or reducing harm. There was a notable lack of interventions that directly targeted mental health and substance use challenges, and a major gap was also noted in terms of interventions for adolescents and adults. Combined, these studies provide preliminary and emerging evidence for a range of intervention approaches that may support positive outcomes for individuals with FASD across the life course.